The Digsite Defence: Thousand Sons vs Adeptus Mechanicus

We return to Sentinel in the Gehenna System!

Where the Adeptus Mechanicus and Thousand Sons can't help running into each other!

As the Gehenna campaign has unfolded, it's become clear that there is something of great value on the fallen bastion world of Sentinel. As two of the galaxy's foremost experts in acquiring weird stuff, the Court of Miracles and Forge World Vermynarx Minor are laying claim to a likely digsite.

I'm playing against ErgonJon, who will be bringing his Adeptus Mechanicus army. We both agreed no quarter beforehand, so these are the toughest lists we have devised.

Thousand Sons - The Court of Miracles

This is another draft of a list I've been developing - basically it revolves around getting expendable units to all areas of the board to score their secondaries, while the main body of Scarab Occult and Sorcerers remain untouched (and blasting out damage).

I've taken Grey Knights to the limit with this kind of strategy, but I've never faced this kind of firepower before.

Battalion Detachment - Cult of Time

• Ahriman (HQ)
  Black Staff of Ahriman, Inferno Bolt Pistol, Disc of Tzeentch
  Psychic powers: Gaze of Hate, Tzeentch's Firestorm, Temporal Surge
• Arac Rapathwin - Exalted Sorcerer (HQ) (Warlord)
  Force stave, Inferno bolt pistol, Frag & Krak Grenades, Disc of Tzeentch
  Psychic powers: Time Flux, Twist of Fate, Presage
  Command: Paradigm of Change
  Warlord: Immaterial Echo
  Relic: Athenaean Scrolls
• Hemuset Aaru - Sorcerer in Terminator Armour (HQ)
  Force Stave, Inferno Combi-Bolter, Frag & Krak Grenades
  Psychic powers: Time Flux, Tzeentch's Firestorm, Doombolt
• Phyroc Optera - Infernal Master HQ
  Force Stave, Inferno bolt pistol, Frag & Krak Grenades
  Psychic powers: Time Flux, Weaver of Fates
  Relic: Umbralefic Crystal
  Infernal Pacts: Capering Imps, Glimpse of Eternity
• 5 x Rubric Marines (Troop)
  Force Stave, Inferno bolt pistol, 3 x Inferno Boltgun, 1 x Soulreaper Cannon, Icon of Flame
  Psychic powers: Time Flux, Cacodaemonic Curse
• 5 x Rubric Marines (Troop)
  Force Stave, Inferno bolt pistol, 3 x Inferno Boltgun, 1 x Soulreaper Cannon
  Psychic powers: Time Flux, Glamour of Tzeentch
• 5 x Rubric Marines (Troop)
  Force Stave, Inferno bolt pistol, 4 x Inferno Boltgun
  Psychic powers: Time Flux, Doombolt
• 5 x Rubric Marines (Troop)
  Force Stave, Inferno bolt pistol, 4 x Warpflamer
  Psychic powers: Time Flux, Pyric Flux
• 10 x Tzaangors (Troop)
  Tzaangor blades
• 10 x Scarab Occult Terminators (Elite)
  Force Stave, 8 x Inferno Combi-Bolter, 9 x Prosperine Khopesh, 2 x Soulreaper Cannon, 2 x Hellfyre Missile Rack,
  Psychic powers: Time Flux, Empyric Guidance
  Legion: Rites of Coalescence
• Helbrute (Elite)
  Twin Lascannon, Missile Launcher
• Helbrute (Elite)
  Twin Lascannon, Missile Launcher
• 1 x Chaos Spawn (Fast)
  Hideous mutations
• 1 x Chaos Spawn (Fast)
  Hideous mutations
• Rhino (Transport)
  Combi-bolter, combi-melta
• Rhino (Transport)
  Combi-bolter, combi-melta

Points: 2000 | Level: 102| Battle-forged + Battalion - Sorcerous Arcana: 11 CPs

Forge World Agripinaa - Vermynarx Minor

Never one to follow the herd, ErgonJon's list eschews the massed Skitarii infantry for Cult Mechanicus, and plenty of it! There's some real heavy lifting with the Skorpius tanks, Kastelan Robots and Kataphron destroyers, with plenty of cheap units to run interference. Not to mention all those Doctrina and Canticles to tangle with.

Battalion Detachment - Forge World Agripinaa 

• Tech-Priest Dominus (HQ) (Warlord)
  Macrostubber; volkite blaster; Omnissian axe
  Warlord: First hand field testing on Volkite blaster (WT)
  Relic: Phospheonix
• Tech-Priest Enginseer (HQ)
  Mechanicus pistol; Omnissian axe; servo-arm
• Technoarchaeologist (HQ)
  Eradication pistol; servo-arc claw
• Skitarii Marshall (HQ)
  Radium serpenta; control stave
• 5 x Rangers (Troops)
  Galvanic rifle
• 5 x Rangers (Troops)
  Galvanic rifle
• 10 x Vanguard (Troops)
  Radium carbine
• 6 x Breachers (Troops)
  Heavy arc rifle; arc claw
  +1T Indentured Machines stratagem
• 3 x Destroyers (Troops)
  Heavy grav-cannon; phosphor blaster
  +1T Indentured Machines stratagem
• Datasmith (Elite)
  Gamma pistol; power fist
• 7 x Ruststalkers (Elite)
  Chordclaw; transonic razor
• 5 x Serberys Raiders (Fast)
  Galvanic carbine; cavalry sabre; clawed limbs
• 5 x Skystalkers (Fast)
  Flechette carbine
• 4 x Kastelan Robots (Heavy)
  Kastelan phosphor blaster; incendine combustor; Kastelan fist
• Skorpius Disintegrator
  Belleros cannon
• Skorpius Disintegrator
  Belleros cannon
• Skorpius Dunerider (Transport)
  2 x cognis heavy stubbers; twin cognis heavy stubber
• Archeopter Fusilave (Flyer)
  4 x cognis heavy stubbers

Points: 2,000 | Battle-forged + Battalion - Indentured Machines (2) - Additional Relic: 9 CPs

Mission and Deployment

We're playing the Reconnaissance Mission from the Grand Tournament 2021 pack. Four objectives and we start in opposite quadrants.

Thousand Sons Secondaries

• Retrieve Octarius Data - up to 12 VP if I complete an action in all four quadrants
• Engage on All Fronts - 2 VP turn for getting in three quadrants, 3 VP for getting in all four
• While We Stand, We Fight - 5VP each for keeping Ahriman, the Exalted Sorcerer and the Scarab Occult Terminators alive until the end of the game

Adeptus Mechanicus Secondaries

• Abor the Witch - 2VP for killing Psyker units, 3VP for Psyker characters
• Deploy Teleport Homers - 2VP for completing this action, 4VP for completing it in the opponent's deployment zone
• Eradication of Flesh - 3VP for killing more enemy infantry units than enemy killed friendly vehicles.

I set up in the south-west quadrant, following my familiar pattern of a central block of Scarab Occult Terminators, backed by Ahriman and the Exalted Sorcerer, and the two Helbrutes.

The Infernal Master stays further back with the Tzaangor (to screen deepstrikes, and for something to sacrifice for his pacts). A Rhino with a Rubric squad on either flank, ready to rush the objectives, with another Rubric squad on foot to back up the north-west push. A Spawn also on either flank, ready to engage on all fronts. 

The Terminator Sorcerer in deepstrike, and I use the Risen Rubricae stratagem to put my last squad of Rubrics in the south-east quadrant (safely hidden away).

Vermynarx Minor park the Skorpius Disintegrators behind a hab-block, and place the Kastelan Robots to push towards the north-west quadrant, with the Kataphron units to move onto the south-east, backed by the Serberys Raiders. The Archeopter Fusilave stays back with the Ruststalkers (who won't be there long), while the Dunerider (filled with the Marshall and Vanguard).

The Dominus and Datasmith accompany the Kastelans, the Enginseer stays with the Disintegrators and the Technoarchaeologist goes with the Kataphrons.

The Skystalkers stay in deepstrike and the two units of Rangers go into strategic reserve.

We roll for the first turn, and it's Thousand Sons with the initative!

Thousand Sons - Turn 1

I win the first turn, although it's something of a mixed blessing, since the battlefield is cluttered, and I don't have good sight lines to target the AdMech.

I race each Rhino onto the two respective objectives in the north-west and south-east quadrants, the latter one blasting away a Kataphron Destroyer with a combi-melta. The two Spawn follow suit, each picking a sturdy building to hide behind.

The recently Risen Rubricae squad stay out of sight and Retrieve Octarius Data, while the Terminators plink at the Kastelan Robots and the Helbrutes take out one of the Kataphron Breachers.

Nothing of note in the Psychic Phase either, but I've managed to spread out onto three objectives, so now it's the AdMech's move.

Objectives: Engage on All Fronts (2)

Thousand Sons 2 : 0 Adeptus Mechanicus

Adeptus Mechanicus  - Turn 1

The response of Vermynarx Minor is equally bold: the Kastalan Robots start marching down the street to challenge the north-west objective, while the Kataphrons roll onto the south-east one. 

The Serberys Raiders race down to confront the Risen Rubricae while the Archeopter Fusilave flies directly in front of my Scarab Occult Terminators (having failed to bomb and shoot any of them).

Using the Circuitous Assassins stratagem, the Rustalkers disappear from the field, to return as reinforcements in future rounds.

Shooting is fairly brutal: the Kataphrons open up the south-east Rhino, and the rest of the AdMech small-arms mops up the five Rubrics within. The Skorpius Disintegrators crack the second Rhino, although by bundling into a nearby crater, those Rubric Marines manage to stay intact (and still on the objective). 

The only charges are the Serberys Raiders into Risen Rubricae, who take a wound off the heretics, and lose a rider in return.

A strong start, and one psyker unit down already.

Objectives: Abor the Witch (2), Eradication of Flesh (3)

Thousand Sons 2 : 5 Adeptus Mechanicus

Thousand Sons - Turn 2

I'm losing units faster than I anticipated, but I still have my scoring options, and with feet on two objectives, I maximise the primaries this turn.

The Rubrics in the crater remain put to Retrieve Octarius Data, while a second squad of Rubrics run up (aided by Temporal Surge) to get another unit on the north-west objective.

The Helbrutes shuffle to get a better shot, while the Scarab Occult edge around to the north-east (keeping hold of the home objective), followed by Ahriman and Rapathwin (the Exalted Sorcerer), using them for a screen.

The plan in the Psychic phase is to buff the Scarab Occult to the maximum (Presage, Weaver of Fates, Glamour of Tzeentch) and then use any leftover warpfire spells to tickle the Archeopter before I shoot it. However, I get a good run of powers and 'tickling' turns into blowing the thing out of the sky with mind bullets!

My enthusiasm is slightly cooled when it crashes to the ground, taking a wound off the Scarab Occult and three wounds each off Ahriman and Rapathwin (I'm supposed to be keeping them alive!)

In the Shooting Phase, the Helbrutes manage to take out most of the Kataphron Breachers and the Scarab Occult Terminators gun down one of the Kastelan Robots.

The only ongoing melee is the Risen Rubricae, who do manage to kill three of the Serberys Raiders (although, crucially, the Alpha passes his morale).

Objectives: Primaries (15), Retrieve Octarius Data (4), Engage on All Fronts (2)

Thousand Sons 23 : 5 Adeptus Mechanicus

Adeptus Mechanicus  - Turn 2

The Kastelan Robots continue to march onto the north-west objective, and the pincer is complete when the Skystalkers, the Ruststalkers and one squad of Rangers (who begin to Deploy Teleport Homers) appear in the far corner.

(I do try out the Inescapable Forewarning stratagem to shoot the Skystalkers with the Rubrics, but it wasn't much cop for 2CP).

The Kataphron Destroyers continue to claim the south-east objective and, deciding he's done enough, the Serberys Alpha falls back from combat - positioning himself to block both the Rubricae and the Spawn from rushing the objective.

With the parking brake firmly applied, the Skorpius Disintegrators take out one of the Helbrutes, while everything else opens up on one of the Rubric squads in the north-east. They are obliterated, and the Kastelan Robots charge in to punch the second squad to pieces.

Two more psykers destroyed and a strong presence in the quarters. That was the pushback the AdMech needed.

Objectives: Primaries (5), Abor the Witch (4), Eradication of Flesh (3)

Thousand Sons 23 : 17 Adeptus Mechanicus

Thousand Sons - Turn 3

I'm already running low on assets, so I'm going to have to put my precious units in harm's way. I've got no qualms about the Scarab Occult (who have been using Time Flux to return their numbers as quickly as they are taken out), but Ahriman and Rapathwin are going to be vulnerable to the indirect fire of the Skorpius Disintegrators - hiding behind terrain won't cut it, they all need to stick together.

Leaving the Infernal Master and last Helbrute the guard the home objective, the Scarab Occult and two disc-riders head off to face the Kastelans in the north-west. The Tzaangor stay put and Retrieve Octarius Data for the third time.

The Spawn in the north-west wakes up and runs towards the three deepstriking units. There's no intention to charge them, but his Aura of Madness might mess with morale if I divide my shots. 

I also deploy my Terminator Sorcerer into the AdMech deployment zone. He makes an ambitious charge to contest the home objective (doesn't get it), but at least scores me full points for Engage On All Fronts.

Neither the Risen Rubricae nor the Spawn fancy poking their heads out from behind their buildings, and they can't bypass the Serberys Alpha to get on the south-east objective, so they settle for shooting him.

Ahriman and Rapathwin both manage to heal their wounds (one using Warped Regeneration, one using Temporal Manipulation), then buff the Scarab Occult Terminators and remove the Kastelan's invulnerable save (no more bouncing back wounds!). The Scarab Occult are then sent forward with Temporal Surge so they can make the charge.

In the shooting phase, the Scarab Occult use their combi-bolters to take out half the Ruststalkers and Skystalkers (one of which does run to morale) , and wipes out the Rangers before they can complete their action. The heavy weapons go into the Kastelans, taking out another.

In the Assault Phase, both Scarab Occult and Ahriman make their charges, although Rapathwin fails (which really leaves him hanging in the wind). With their existing buffs (plus Wrath of the Wronged for good measure), the Terminators hack through the final two Robots, securing the objective and surrounding Ahriman in a protective bubble (something tells me he planned this).

I've made my push, and taken out one of the big scary units, but I'm going to have to brace for the counter-attack.

Objectives: Primaries (5), Retrieve Octarius Data (4), Engage on All Fronts (3)

Thousand Sons 35 : 17 Adeptus Mechanicus

Adeptus Mechanicus  - Turn 3

The counter-attack is mostly zeroed in on my lone Exalted Sorcerer, and poor Arac Rapathwin is taken out by the long range artillery of the Skorpius Disintegrators.

The Tech-Priest Dominius takes a shot at the last Helbrute and, to my surprise, nearly takes him out with his experimental Volkite Blaster.

The Vanguard disembark from the Dunerider and mow down the Terminator Sorcerer (so much for that plan) - that's two psyker characters lost, which is really going to sting with VPs.

The final squad of Rangers comes out of strategic reserve into my backline and start to deploy teleport homers (again).

The remaining Rustalkers and Skystalker pile onto the north-west Spawn, and beat him up. The Data-Smith tries his luck charging the Scarab Occult, and is duly squashed.

Objectives: Primaries (10), Abor the Witch (6)

Thousand Sons 35 : 33 Adeptus Mechanicus

Thousand Sons - Turn 4

I'm back on two primary objectives, but running out of assets to influence the game. The Infernal Master (who has been trying and failing to make Infernal Pacts all game) uses the Umbraelific Crystal to teleport the Tzaangors across to the AdMech deployment zone, where they gather their wits and Retrieve Octarius Data (as well as engaging on all four fronts again).

The Risen Rubricae finally make their move, Smiting aside one of the Kataphron Destroyers and charging the Technoarchaeologist to beat him up and claim the south-west objective.

The Scarab Occult and Ahriman Smite away the last of the Ruststalkers and Skystalkers, before turning their guns (at last!) on one of the Skorpius Disintegrators, taking it down to three wounds.

The Helbrute decides he's seen enough experimental test weaponry, and blasts the Tech-Priest Dominus apart with lascannons.

Objectives: Primaries (10), Retrieve Octarius Data (4), Engage on All Fronts (3)

Thousand Sons 52 : 30 Adeptus Mechanicus

Adeptus Mechanicus  - Turn 4

In a familiar move, the AdMech draw back and circle the armoured vehicles for a last push. And, considering what firepower remains, it's an impressive one. The Risen Rubricae are blasted off their objective, the injured Helbrute is taken out. Worse still, there's enough firepower left in the Skorpius Disintegrators to take out now-stranded Infernal Master, which maximises the points for Abor the Witch.

The Rangers at the back have also completed their action to Deploy Teleport Homers (for a big four points), and proceed to do it all again.

The big squad of Scarab Occult Terminators and Ahriman remain untouched, but there's not much else left.

Objectives: Primaries (5), Abor the Witch (max 3), Eradication of Flesh (3), Deploy Teleport Homers (4)

Thousand Sons 52 : 48 Adeptus Mechanicus

Thousand Sons - Turn 5

We're racing through the turns to complete the game, so I quickly jump into all four quadrants once more and hope I've done enough to steal victory.

Objectives: Primaries (5), Engage on All Fronts (3)

Thousand Sons 60 : 48 Adeptus Mechanicus

Adeptus Mechanicus  - Turn 5

Admitting that there's no killing the Scarab Occult squad, the AdMech claim their points for deploying teleport homers, gun down the Tzaangor, and claim maximum on the primaries.

It's an interesting close where both sides are left on opposing ends of the battlefield with a good chunk of their armies intact. But did either of them do enough to win?

Objectives: Primaries (15), Eradication of Flesh (3), Deploy Teleport Homers (4) 

Objectives (Thousand Sons): To The Last: (10)

Thousand Sons 70 : 70 Adeptus Mechanicus

Result: Draw!

Locker Room

What a game! We both knew it was going to be close, but adding together the final tallies was dramatic!

My game plan mostly worked out, although the indirect fire of the Skorpius Disintegrator was lethal to my characters. Abor the Witch is also a secondary that can absolutely punish me (although the compensation is I had a free hand in the psychic phase).

I scored well on all my secondaries (although did drop a few primary points), but I think the next stage of my thinking it how I should be stopping my opponent from scoring their secondaries. I shouldn't have allowed a small unit of Rangers to Deploy Teleport Homers twice in my backfield, when I had the tools to deal with them. I was confident that if I stuck to scoring my own points but, as we saw, every point counts.

I'm not sure what refinements I'd suggest for ErgonJon's list - there seemed to be things I was dealing with easily (the flyer springs to mind, and the deepstrikers were something of a busted flush), but the heavy-hitting units really did hit hard, and maybe all the chaff was stopping me from challenging them.

I will say, I think he made the right play in ignoring my Scarab Occult death star, despite the hurt it was putting out. By the end of the game, that unkillable unit was pretty much all I had left, and it cost me in terms of board control.

All in all, a cracking game. A really tactical play on both sides, and looking at how the board ended up, honours even seems a fair outcome.